Slow Cooker Southwestern Beans and Rice

This savory slow cooker version of beans and rice is very good as is, or it can be served as a filling for burritos. For a burrito filling, mix some of the bean mixture with some rice and tuck it inside a flour tortilla topped with a dollop of sour cream. Yummy! The ham hocks add a wonderful smoky flavor but provide very little meat, so, if you prefer not to mess with them, you might like to add 1/2 teaspoon liquid smoke instead. Either way, the recipe is full-flavored, and very easy to prepare. Blessings...

Recipe:

2 ham hocks
1 can (15 oz.) pinto beans, rinsed and drained (black beans are also very good)
1 can (10 oz.) diced tomatoes with green chilies
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup thinly sliced celery
1/4 tsp. ground cumin
1/8 tsp. crushed red pepper
1 tsp. chili powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. dried cilantro, crushed and added to the slow cooker or 1 tablespoon fresh chopped cilantro sprinkled over dish at serving time.
Hot cooked rice

1. Combine all of the ingredients in the slow cooker except the fresh cilantro, if using, and the rice.
2. Cover and cook on low setting for 7 to 8 hours, or on high for 4 to 5 hours.
3. Remove the ham hocks during the last hour of cooking and cut off the meat; return to the slow cooker. Taste and add salt if needed. Serve over rice.

Yield: 3 cups
3/4 cup = 139 calories without rice
7 gms. fiber
Note: Calorie count includes 2 to 3 ounces ham from ham hocks.

Slow Cooker Sesame Chicken

Slow cooker recipes are wonderful anytime of the year, but I especially appreciate them when the weather starts to turn cool. My niece contributed this recipe in a recipe group that we were a part of last year, and I readily tried it. The recipe is very easy, and so flavorful. Inexpensive chicken thighs are slow cooked until the meat falls off the bone. It is then shredded, added back into the sauce and served over stir-fried broccoli and cooked rice. A sprinkling of toasted sesame seed and dinner is ready! This recipe comes from www.emilylovesfood.com  Blessings...

Recipe:

6 skinless chicken thighs, bone-in
1/2 an onion, finely chopped (1/2 cup)
2 cloves garlic, minced or 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 cup honey
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup tomato paste
2 tsp. sesame oil
1 tbsp. cornstarch
1/4 cup water (I used chicken broth; it adds better flavor)
2 cups broccoli florets, chopped into bite-sized pieces
1 tsp. sesame oil to stir-fry the broccoli
rice
toasted sesame seed, if desired

1. Place the chicken in the slow cooker and turn the heat to high while the sauce is being prepared.
2. Whisk together the onion, garlic, honey, soy sauce, tomato paste and oil in a bowl; pour over the chicken. Cook on high heat for 1 hour; reduce heat to low and continue cooking for another 3 to 4 hours.
3. About 20 minutes before serving, remove the chicken from the slow cooker to a 9 x 13-inch baking dish. It's easy to shred the chicken in a large flat dish.
4. In a small bowl, combine the cornstarch and the water, or chicken broth, and stir into the sauce in the slow cooker. Turn the heat up to high to thicken the sauce.
5. Prepare the rice according to package directions.
6. Shred the chicken and add it back to the sauce to warm through.
7. In a skillet, heat the 1 tsp. sesame oil over medium-high heat. Stir-fry the broccoli pieces until they turn a fresh rich green color, their outsides look moist and they are crisp-tender. This only takes a few minutes.
8. To serve, top rice with broccoli, then chicken and sprinkle with sesame seed, if desired. Yummy!

Yield: 4 to 6 servings

Split Pea Soup

I love soup, and thankfully my husband never says a word about what is served for dinner. He does, however, often offer his own suggestions and I listen and do my best to please him. So you might say we work together. He definitely is a meat and potatoes man, but split pea soup is one of his favorites, so we have it often. This recipe is easy and I often make it even easier by putting the ingredients in the slow cooker early in the day. We love Irish soda bread with pea soup but this last time I made whole wheat yeast bread. It is a delicious bread and you will find the recipe posted on 2/11/2010. Blessings...

Recipe:

1 lb. bag dried split peas
8 cups water
1 lb. smoked ham hocks or 1 ham bone
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1 cup finely chopped celery
1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley
1/2 tsp. savory
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1 cup thinly sliced carrots
salt, if needed

 Slow Cooker Method:

1. Rinse peas and pick over. Place all the ingredients in the slow cooker and stir. Cover and cook on low about 7 hours.
2. Remove ham or ham hocks from soup and cut the meat off the bone. Cut into bite sized pieces. Return the meat to the slow cooker and taste for saltiness; add salt if needed. You may want to add a little more pepper and if the soup is too thick for your liking, thin it with a little milk.

Stove Top Method:

1. Place the peas and water in a soup kettle; bring to a boil. Boil for 2 minutes. Remove from the heat, cover, and set aside for 1 hour.
2. Add all remaining ingredients to the soup, except carrots and salt. Bring soup back to a boil; lower heat, cover and simmer for 1-1/2 hours.
3. Add carrots and continue to simmer, covered, for another 30 minutes. Test carrots for tenderness.
4. Remove meat from the bone and add back to the soup, taste and add salt, if needed. 

Yield: 9-1/4 cups
122 calories per cup
10 gms. fiber
Note: the soup will thicken as it cools

Savory Crock Pot Stew

Stew is a favorite meal in our home. Over the years I have tried many recipes, one of which was posted on 1/7/2009, but getting a flavorful crock pot version has been a bit of a challenge. In this recipe, I combined the best of a few different crock pot and oven versions that we liked and made something a bit more to our liking. One of the most important steps to making a flavorful beef recipe in the crock pot is to brown the meat first. This step really enhances the final flavor of the dish and is worth the extra bit of time invested into the evening meal. Blessings...

Recipe:

3/4 pound cubed tri-tip steak, dried on paper towels to remove excess moisture
olive oil for browning
4 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
1-1/2 cups peeled and sliced carrots
1 celery rib, sliced
1 cup chopped onion
1 can (14.5 oz.) diced tomatoes, undrained
1 can (14.5 oz.) beef broth
3 tbsp. quick-cooking tapioca
1 tsp. Kitchen Bouquet browning sauce
1/4 tsp. pepper
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1/4 tsp. dried marjoram
1/8 tsp. ground allspice
1-1/2 tsp. brown sugar
1 cup frozen peas

1. In a skillet brown the steak in oil. Remove the steak to the crock pot and fry the onion in the oil for a few minutes until softened. Scrape the onion and any brown bits into the crock pot. Add all remaining ingredients except the frozen peas. Stir well; cover and cook on low setting for 8-10 hours or on high setting for 5-6 hours.
2. Add peas during last hour of cooking.
3. Stir and check potatoes and carrots for tenderness before serving.

Yield: 4-5 servings
Note: Tri-tip steak is a wonderfully marbled and tender cut of beef for making stew and other casserole-type dishes. Stew meat tends to be very tough even after the slow cooking of the crock pot.

Autumn Pork Chops

The flavors in the sauce combined with tender pork chops and veggies makes this recipe one of our favorites. The original recipe called for acorn squash, which isn't one we are fond of, so I have substituted sliced potatoes and cabbage, and sometimes carrots, all good veggies to serve alongside pork chops. This is good comfort food any time of the year. Blessings...

Recipe:

6 pork chops, about 1/2 inch thick
1/2 tsp. salt
2 tbsps. butter, melted
3/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
3/4 tsp. Kitchen Bouquet browning and seasoning sauce
1/8 tsp. ground nutmeg
2 tbsp. orange juice
1 tsp. orange zest
4 cups chopped cabbage
4 potatoes, peeled and sliced into 1/8-inch slices

1. Trim fat from edges of chops. Arrange pork chops in the bottom of the slow cooker.
2. Top pork with veggies.
3. In a small bowl, combine salt, butter, brown sugar, browning sauce, nutmeg, orange juice and orange zest. Spoon mixture over the pork and veggies.
4. Cover and cook on low setting for 5 to 5-1/2 hours or until pork chops are tender.

Yield: 6 servings

This recipe was adapted from Mable Hoffman's Crockery Cookery, a wonderful slow cooker cookbook.

Orange Chicken with Sweet Potatoes

When I prepared this recipe this week, my husband asked me if this was a mini Thanksgiving meal. Yes, in that the chicken is spiced with some of the favored seasonings of the holiday season and served with sweet potatoes. The chicken cooks in the slow cooker on top of the sweet potatoes covered in a fruity sauce for 3-1/2 to 4 hours. The chicken is then served over rice; add a vegetable or salad and dinner is ready. Simple and tasty. Blessings...

Recipe:

3 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and sliced
2/3 cup flour
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. onion powder
1 tsp. ground nutmeg
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. black pepper
4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves (5 ozs. each)
2 tbsps. butter
1 can (10-3/4 oz.) condensed cream of chicken soup, undiluted (I use 98% fat-free)
3/4 cup unsweetened pineapple juice
2 tsps. brown sugar
1 tsp. orange zest
1/2 lb. sliced fresh mushrooms, if desired (I don't use)
Hot cooked rice

1. Layer the sweet potatoes in a 3-qt. slow cooker. Turn slow cooker on to low heat.
2. Combine the flour and seasonings in a pie plate. Coat each chicken breast completely.
3. In a large skillet over medium heat, cook the chicken in butter for 3 minutes per side or until lightly browned. Arrange chicken on top on sweet potatoes.
4. Combine 3 tbsps. of the remaining seasoned flour with the pineapple juice, soup, brown sugar and orange zest in a small bowl. Whisk until smooth and add mushrooms, if using. Pour over chicken and potatoes.
5. Cover and cook for 3-1/2 to 4 hours or until chicken and potatoes are tender. Serve over rice.

Yield: 4 servings

Slow Cooker Golden Mushroom Pork and Apples

I know that most people don't think of summer as the time to be using the slow cooker, but it is a very cost saving help in the kitchen because of the low energy use and it doesn't warm the kitchen up as much as one might think. I use mine year around because I love the convenience of having the meal done in advance of the dinner hour. This particular recipe is another one that I have adapted from a recipe found at http://www.campbellskitchen.com.  This is such a good site for recipes; I would encourage you to check it out.

The one challenge I've found with slow cooker recipes, like the original of this one, is that the flavor can be lacking in the interest of speed. Not a good trade-off at all! So, in reading Cook's Illustrated Magazine, I learned that if the meat is browned in oil first the flavor of the finished dish is much better, and it only takes a few minutes more of your time. Also, with this recipe, by adding the apples at the beginning of the cooking time, they will cook down to an applesauce consistency and really enhance the flavor of the pork and the gravy, but if you don't think your family would like that, add them for the last hour or two instead.

The effort put into preparing a meal is rewarded by the nurturing of the hearts and lives of those around the table, and your family is strengthened. Blessings...

Recipe:

2 cans (10 3/4 ounces each) Campbell's Condensed Golden Mushroom Soup
1/2 cup water
1 tbsp. packed brown sugar
1 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp. dried thyme leaves, crushed
8 boneless pork chops, 3/4-inch thick (about 2 pounds)
4 large Granny smith apples, cut into quarters and then each quarter sliced into thirds.
2 cups chopped onion
salt and pepper
olive oil for frying

1. Stir the soup, water, brown sugar, Worcestershire and thyme in a slow cooker set on high heat.
2. Heat a little olive oil in a large skillet set over medium heat. Salt and pepper pork chops and brown in olive oil on both sides; remove and place in slow cooker. Saute onion until golden brown and add to slow cooker. Add apple slices on top; don't stir them into the gravy.
3. Cover slow cooker and cook on high heat for one hour; turn heat down to low and continue cooking for about 4 more hours or until pork is fork tender. We loved the meat served with mashed potatoes.

Yield: 8 servings
Note: This recipe is easily cut in half for a smaller family.

Slow Cooker Teriyaki Pork Roast

This is a very flavorful way to prepare a pork roast. The juices and sauce that the pork cooks in all day are then thickened and served with the meat to further enhance the flavor of the meat. Rice goes beautifully alongside the pork for this Asian-style meal. Blessings...

Recipe:

3/4 cup unsweetened apple juice (pineapple juice would also work well)
2 tbsps. brown sugar or honey
2 tbsps. soy sauce
1 tbsp. vinegar
1 tsp. ground ginger
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1/8 tsp. pepper
1 boneless pork loin roast (about 3 lbs.), halved, unless you have a large enough slow cooker
8 tsps. cornstarch
3 tbsps. cold water
cooked rice

1. Combine the first seven ingredients in slow cooker. Add roast and turn to coat. Cover and cook on low for 7-8 hours or until a thermometer inserted into the roast reads 160 degrees.
2. Remove roast and keep warm.
3. In a saucepan, combine cornstarch and cold water until smooth; stir in cooking juices. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Serve sauce over pork and rice.

Yield: 8 servings

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Slow Cooker Stuffed Chicken Rolls

Valentine's Day conjures up images of roses, chocolate, and dinners out, but in today's economy these things may not be affordable. There have been many Valentine's Day celebrations in our marriage that I was the chef because of unemployment or because there simply wasn't the money in the budget to go out. Since I enjoy cooking, this was never a problem for me; these times gave me an opportunity to get creative. With the addition of a pretty table clothe on the table and china and crystal, our evening meal was no longer a typical meal. My husband and son have always had their favorite dinner and dessert requests, so it was easy to make our meal special. If your family has been hit by the economic down-turn, this chicken dish may just be the ticket to a delicious Valentine's Day dinner celebration for you and your family. Blessings...

Recipe:

6 large boneless skinless chicken breast halves

6 slices fully cooked ham

6 slices Swiss cheese

1/4 cup flour

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1/2 tsp. rubbed sage

1/4 tsp. paprika

1/4 tsp. pepper

1/4 cup oil for frying

1 can (10-3/4 oz.) condensed cream of chicken soup, undiluted

1/2 cup chicken broth

rice, pasta or mashed potatoes

1. Flatten chicken to 1/8-inch thickness by pounding with a meat mallet between sheets of plastic wrap. I save empty cereal box liners for this purpose. They are much sturdier and do not tear apart as easily as plastic wrap.

2. Place a piece of ham and slice of cheese on each breast. Roll up and tuck in ends; secure with a toothpick.

3. Combine the flour, Parmesan cheese, sage, paprika and pepper in a pie plate; coat chicken on all sides.

4. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour. This step is very important.

5. In a large skillet, brown chicken in oil over medium-high heat. Transfer to a slow cooker.

6. Combine soup and broth; pour over the chicken.

7. Cover and cook on low for 4-5 hours. Remove toothpicks and serve with rice, pasta or mashed potatoes.

Yield: 6 ample servings

Slow Cooker Chicken Quesadillas

This wonderful recipe comes from The Electric Kitchen via our monthly utility bill. The slow cooker is an energy saver, as well as a time saver and does a great job with almost any type of food. When it's time for dinner, the only prep left is to slice avocado, shred the cheese, if you haven't purchased packaged shredded cheese, and the assembling of the quesadillas. This is a simple, delicious Mexican meal that can be as low in fat and calories as you would like it to be by using low-fat sour cream, cheese and flour tortillas. We loved them, blessings...

Recipe:

3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut into strips
2 (14 oz.) cans black beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup chopped tomatoes
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced (I used 1-2 tsp. minced Nacho Jalapenos that I had in the fridge)
1 medium onion, chopped
1 tbsp. minced garlic
1/2 cup chicken broth
1 tsp. cumin
1/4 tsp. pepper
olive oil for frying, if desired
10-12 8-inch flour tortillas
2 cups shredded jack cheese or more, if needed
low-fat sour cream
salsa
2 avocados, chopped

1. Combine chicken, black beans, tomatoes, jalapeno, onion, garlic, chicken broth, cumin and pepper in slow cooker. Cook on low for 6-8 hours.
2. In a heavy skillet, heat 1/2 tsp. oil over medium heat. If you don't want to use oil, simply heat the skillet.
3. Place one tortilla in pan and layer 1/4 cup shredded cheese and 1 cup chicken mixture. Sprinkle another 1/4 cup cheese over the chicken and top with another tortilla. When bottom tortilla is lightly brown and cheese has melted, flip quesadilla and cook on the opposite side.
4. Remove quesadilla from skillet and cut into quarters. Repeat process.
5. Serve with salsa, sour cream and avocado.

Yield: 5-6 whole quesadillas, depending on the size of chicken breasts used and the amount of chicken mixture used per serving.

Potato Soup, Florentine Style

This is another of the many recipes for the slow cooker that come from Mable Hoffman's excellent book, "Crockery Cookery", that are a regular part of our dinner menus. This soup is a meal-in-a-bowl for a busy weeknight dinner. A crusty Italian bread for dipping into the broth is a wonderful accompaniment. I prefer the chopped ham over the ham hocks for less fat and be sure to get the spinach out of the freezer to thaw while the soup cooks. The spinach isn't added until the last 15-20 minutes of cooking time. Blessings...

Recipe:

4 medium potatoes, peeled and diced (about 4 cups)
1 cup chopped onion
1 smoked ham hock (about 1 lb.) or 1 cup chopped ham
4 cups chicken broth
1 tsp. dry mustard
1/2 tsp. seasoned salt
1/8 tsp. pepper
1 (9-oz.) pkg. frozen chopped spinach, thawed and well drained (see note)
1 cup (4 oz.) shredded Jarlsberg or Swiss cheese

1. In a slow cooker, combine potatoes, onion, ham hock or ham, broth, mustard, seasoned salt and pepper.
2. Cover and cook on low for 7-8 hours or until potatoes are soft.
3. Remove ham hock; chop meat and discard fat and bone. Return meat to cooker.
4. Turn control to high. Add drained spinach. Cover and cook on high for 15-20 minutes.
5. Spoon hot soup into soup bowls and sprinkle with cheese. Yummy!

Yield: 7-3/4 cups
Note: Place frozen spinach in a mesh strainer over a bowl and let sit to thaw. When thawed, press out excess water with the back of a wooden spoon. This makes the job so much easier.

Slow-Cooked Oriental Chicken

This recipe for chicken has a subtle Asian flavor that is very family-friendly and is easy on the cook. Browning the chicken before putting it in the slow cooker really enhances the flavor and gets the cooking process started. May God richly bless your family in this new year...

Recipe:

1 broiler-fryer chicken (3-1/2 to 4 lbs.) cut up

oil for frying

1/3 cup soy sauce

2 tbsps. brown sugar

2 tbsps. water

1 garlic clove, minced

1 tsp. ground ginger

1. In a large skillet over medium heat, brown the chicken in oil on both sides. Transfer to a slow cooker.

2. Combine the soy sauce, brown sugar, water, garlic and ginger; pour over the chicken. Cover and cook on high for 1 hour. Reduce heat to low; cook 4-5 hours longer or until the meat juices run clear.

3. Remove the chicken to a serving platter; serve with rice and the juices. (thicken juices, if desired)

Yield: 4-6 servings

Pork and Lentil Cassoulet

This is a very hearty and easy recipe for the slow cooker that I adapted from a Better Homes and Gardens recipe.

Recipe:

1 lb. pork shoulder (I use inexpensive pork shoulder steak)
1 cup chopped onion
2 small, or 1 large, cloves garlic, minced
2 tsps. olive oil
2-1/2 cups beef broth
1 14 1/2-oz. can diced tomatoes
2 cups chopped carrots
2  ribs celery, thinly sliced
3/4 cup lentils, rinsed and picked over
1-1/2 tsps. Bouquet Garni
1/2 - 1 tsp. salt
fresh ground pepper

1. Trim fat from pork and cut into 1-inch cubes. In a large nonstick skillet brown pork in olive oil. Add to slow cooker.
2. Add onion and garlic to skillet and cook for 1 minute; add to slow cooker.
3. Add broth, undrained tomatoes, carrots, celery, lentils, Bouquet Garni, salt and pepper to slow cooker. Stir well; cover and cook on high heat for 4-1/2 to 5-1/2 hours (8 hours or more if cooking on low setting).
Check carrots, celery and lentils for tenderness.

Yield: 6 servings
Note: I serve this cassoulet over rice

Slow Cooker Barbecue Beef

Fall is here, and the gathering of friends and family around the T.V. for football is a national pass time, as well as all the snacking that goes along with a three to four hour game. Barbecue beef sandwiches are a favorite with the tender and mildly spiced beef on a hamburger bun. Great for game day or anytime. Blessings...

Recipe:

1 boneless beef sirloin tip roast (about 3 pounds), cut into large chunks

3 celery ribs, chopped

1 large onion, chopped (about 1 cup)

1 medium green pepper, chopped

1 cup ketchup

1 can (6 ounces) tomato paste

1/2 cup packed light brown sugar

1/4 cup apple cider vinegar

3 tbsps. chili powder

2 tbsps. fresh lemon juice

2 tbsps. molasses

2 tsps. salt

2 tsps. Worcestershire sauce

1 tsp. ground mustard

hamburger buns or sandwich rolls

1. Place the beef in a 5-qt. slow cooker. Add the celery, onion and green pepper.

2. In a bowl, combine the sauce ingredients and whisk until smooth. Pour over beef and vegetables.

3. Cover and cook on low for 8 - 9 hours or until meat is tender.

4. Skim fat from cooking juices if necessary. Shred beef and serve.

Note: If your serving the beef for a party, prepare the recipe in advance and refrigerate. Return the beef to the slow cooker and reheat on low setting for a few hours. When the meat is hot, turn down to warm setting for your party.

Red Beans and Rice

This is a wonderfully easy slow-cooker version of a traditional favorite from the Southern part of the United States. Because all but the bell pepper and onion are already cooked in this recipe, the dish cooks on low heat for about 4 hours and dinner is ready, except for the side dishes, such as rice and salad. I use Minute Brown Rice, which cooks quickly in the microwave, as my rice of choice. The texture of the rice is firm and holds up beautifully under the bean and sausage mixture. I would encourage the use of your slow-cooker in the summer months because it does not heat the kitchen up like the oven does, and dinner is simple. Blessings...

Recipe:

1 lb. fully-cooked smoked sausage, of choice, cut into 1/2" slices and then each slice cut in half to make 2 pieces for easier eating.
2 cans (15 oz. each) small red beans, drained and rinsed
1 green bell pepper, chopped (about 1 cup)
1 tsp. Cajun seasoning
2 cans (15 oz. each) peeled diced tomatoes in juice
1 cup chopped onion
cooked rice

1. Combine all the ingredients, except rice, in a slow-cooker. Cover and cook on low heat for about 4 hours.
2. Cook rice. To serve, spoon bean mixture over rice

Yield: 6 - 8 servings
Note: I drain off a little of the juice from the tomatoes so the dish isn't too "soupy".
Also, I use mild turkey or chicken kielbasa for lower calories with very good results. This is good rib- sticking comfort food!

1/2 cup bean mixture equals 113 calories
3.7 grams fiber

Honolulu Chicken

This recipe was created for skillet cooking, and that's how I have always prepared it, but last week I wanted to see how it would do in the slow cooker. (Tomorrow I'll post the skillet version.) The sauce was thinner, so I needed to thicken it a little with cornstarch, but we thought the flavor was very good. The sauce is simple with four ingredients, and the water chestnuts, pepper and pineapple are added at the end to just heat through. I love having dinner almost complete and waiting for me at the end of the day, it keeps life simple when tired and hungry. The slow cooker can help make evening meals more relaxing and enjoyable with your family. Blessings...

Recipe: 

1 chicken, cup up
salt and pepper
1 jar (10 oz.) peach jam, about 1 cup
1/2 cup barbecue sauce (I use hickory flavor)
1/2 cup chopped onion
2 tbsps. soy sauce
1 red or green pepper, chopped
1 can (6 oz.) sliced water chestnuts, drained
1 can (8 oz.) chunk pineapple, drained
1/4 cup cornstarch
1 cup water
Cooked rice

1. Combine jam, barbecue sauce, onion and soy sauce in a bowl.
2. Place cut up chicken in the slow cooker. Salt and pepper; pour sauce over. Cook on high heat for one hour and then turn heat down to low for 3 hours, or longer, depending on how fast your slow cooker cooks.
3. When chicken tests done, remove to a platter; cover and keep warm in a 200 degree oven while you prepare the sauce.
4. Turn heat up to high on the slow cooker. Whisk together 1 cup of water and the cornstarch.
5. Slowly whisk the cornstarch mixture into the juice in the slow cooker until desired thickness, you may not need all the cornstarch mixture. Add the chopped pepper, water chestnuts and pineapple. Cover and cook for 1/2 hour. Add chicken back to the sauce. Serve the chicken and sauce over rice.

Serves 4 - 6
Note:  I remove the skin from the chicken to cut down on the fat. The sauce does not get really thick, but we don't care for the heaviness of thick sauces.

Slow Cooker Beef Roast

This recipe has been around for years. My mom prepared beef this way when I was a child, but she used the oven. The slow cooker is such a wonderful tool on a busy day, that even with only two of us, I use mine regularly. I served this dish last evening with mashed potatoes, a mashed yam dish, and a salad.

Recipe:
1 3-4 lb. boneless beef roast, remove as much fat as possible
1 can (10-3/4 ounce) 98% fat-free cream of mushroom soup, undiluted
1 envelope onion soup mix (from a 2.75 oz. pkg.)
1 tablespoon bottled steak sauce such as A-1

1. Trim fat from roast. In a large skillet, brown roast on all sides in a bit of oil. Place roast in the slow cooker.
2. Combine soup, soup mix and steak sauce in a small bowl. Pour over roast. Cook on low setting for about 6 or 7 hours.
2. When the meat is done, remove to a platter and cover to keep warm. Turn heat to high.
3. Whisk gravy to see how thick it is. If you want a thicker gravy, combine a little flour and water in a shaker jar. Shake until smooth. Check to see how thick the mixture is. (You want to use about a 2 parts water to 1 part flour ratio.)
4. As you whisk the gravy, slowly add a little thickener until the desired thickness is achieved.

Serves: 6

Pork and Black Bean Chili

This chili recipe is made easy with the use of a slow cooker. I've also used the recipe as a burrito filling with the addition of cooked rice, sour cream and flour tortillas. If you were to invite guests in, the use of a slow cooker makes meal preparation so much easier, and the recipe can easily be doubled to feed more people. Making burritos also really stretches this dish to feed more people. Blessings...

Recipe:

1 pound boneless pork, cut into 1/2" cubes
2 (16-oz.) cans black beans, rinsed and drained
1 cup chopped red pepper
1 cup tomato, peeled, seeded and chopped
1/2 cup diced onion
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes, optional
2 teaspoons chili powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 (8-oz.) can tomato sauce
sour cream, flour tortillas, cooked rice and chopped fresh cilantro, to taste.

Combine the first 11 ingredients in a slow cooker. Cover and cook on low heat for about 8 hours. Stir the chili and taste. Serve as chili in bowls with cilantro sprinkled over top.

To serve as burritos, place about 1/2 cup of the slightly drained mixture on a flour tortilla with some rice. Top with sour cream and cilantro.

Recipe serves 4-5 as chili